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Ancient Roman Oven Photos

06-06-2006, 10:52 PM

Here is a permanent posting for our photo journal on the ancient Pompeii Ovens. There are more than 30 brick ovens preserved in Pompeii, including large commercial ovens with on-site grain mills, and small residential ovens inside homes. Some of the ovens are in great shape, and could almost be fired to make bread or pizza today. I have introduced myself to various staff members, and they have allowed me to crawl inside the ovens to take pictures.

The bread loaves found inside the excavated ovens were round, and had the seal of the bakery on top. My guess is that they were great. Many of the bakeries were in the "food" neighborhoods of Pompeii, and were surrounded by hot and cold food and drink bars -- complete with granite and marble counter tops.

OK. They had milled wheat flour; natural yeast; salt; brick ovens; olive oil; cow, sheep and goat cheese; cured meats; a wonderful water table; and herbs. You cannot tell me that the ancient world didn't have great pizza.

I am still struck by the ancient ovens, and the fact that the modern pizzeria just outside the city gate has a wood-fired oven that looks exactly like the ovens in the old city. There is nothing new under the sun; we just have to pick the pieces that we want to preserve.
James

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Thanks for that. Lying down inside those ovens was an incredible experience. It was like I was channeling back 2,000 years. The floor was made from 2" round floor pieces, with a texture almost exactly like the Artigiano oven floor pieces. The floor was set in sand and clay. The dome was coated with a thin layer of mortar. They were insulated with a mixture of expanded clay or volcanic ash. A terracotta chimney system directly above the door opening. Everything except the Insulfrax. It has really stayed with me -- heck, it led to the oven plans and our user group.

I was there inside the ovens long enough and made enough of a spectacle of myself that I definitely embarassed the kids. So that worked.

There are also ancient ovens in Naples, and folks at the Pizzaiolo school have said they will take me to see them next time I'm there.

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Great stuff!!! These wood fired ovens have certainly been around for a long time, but it's my understanding that the Pizza wasn't "invented" until after Columbus came back with the tomato from the New World! Can it be that the Italians simply used their pre-existing bread ovens to bake the "new" concoction?!!

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Came back and looked at these pics again. They truly are amazing. Is Villa di Fontanella yours Optionsparty? I love what you have done there. Want to include Villa di Fontanella in an Italy trip of WFOs. It looks absolutely gorgeous, on the Adriatic, very quaint little town. Are there operational WFO's in town?

I would really like to get a list of all WFO's in Italy that people have visited. Planning an Italy trip in the next 2 years and would like to see as many ovens as possible, and cooking classes. Maybe I'll start a thread